X-bay appabatxts



Patented Mar. 9,1920.

A PPLI'C'ATroN "FILED AUG.25. me.

j. D. STIRCKLER. X-RAY APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED AUG.25.`19|6.

3 SHLETS-SHEET 2.

I llllrll II LH lint l Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

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xRAY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.25, 1915. l y 1,333,349 Patented Mar. 9, 1920. I 3SHEETS-SH-EET 3. 25g. 4.

A curve of the frame which supports it, but.

Jia

JHN D. STIRCKLER, OF CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS.

X-RAY APPARATUS.

Lasserre.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application tiled August 25, 1916.- Serial No. 116,802.

To ali 'whom t may concern.' I

Be it known that I, JoHN D. STXRCKLER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and

resident of Chelsea, in the countyof Sutolk v and State ofMassachusetts, have 1nvented certain improvements in' K-lay Apparatus,of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to X-ray apparatus, particularly to theconstruction of the table upon which the patient issupported and of themeans for operating the table, and other details relating thereto, moreparticularlyhereinafter described and specified in the accompanyingclaims. j

Ein such apparatus which has been hereto- 1fore in use, the table, whichis usually six feet or more in length, and as it is undesirable to havethe top'of the table, when in horizontal position, ,more than three feetfrom the floor, it has been pivoted upon a frame with one end of thetable extending much farther from the pivot than the other end and inorder to prevent the end of the table from striking the floor, theshortercnd -was tilt-ed down, so that. it became necessary, for ease ofoperation when tilting the table, to have the longer endcounterbalanced; also, heretofore, the X-ray tube-box, of very considerable Weight, has been hungfupon the under side of the table, and ithas been necessary to provide an automatically adjustable counterweightVfor that, also. My imroved table is supported and moved as hough itwere hung upon and swung from the center of a circle concentric with thewith such center outside of the cord of an 'are lesslthan 180, whichcord iscolncident with the top of the table, and in its operation 'isthe same as a swinging table, whichis thus given a longitudinalprogressive movement and at the Sametime 'is swung to the desired angle,and by the use of a wormgear to operate the table, no jolt or shock ispossible, and thetable is automatically locked inevery position which itassumes, I

however small the amount of movement. In

my improved construction also', there are no.

structed with the field of' observation, for all purposes, extendingthroughout its entire,1

surface and 1s provided with protective plates, such vas lead, withguides for each,

I extending throughout the length of the table,

so that they may be moved to any position f in relation to the length ofthe table and in relation to veach other, by which means a field ofoperation, or observation, ma be obtained at any desired position' in te top of the table lwithout changing-the position vof the patientthereon. The heavy tube-box` which is usually attached beneath thetable,

`. is dispensed'withl and the tube is'supported upon a bracket attachedto .the swinging` framevof the table. This bracket itself is j.supported on a small carriage adapted to be moved longitudinally ofthetable upon ways` secured to the lowerl part 'of its swinging 4frame; the-tube-holder is attached t0 the bracket by a universal joint, by whichit may be turned to any angle in' relation to the sur- :tace of thetable whether above or below it, and can be adjusted 'vertically uponthe bracket standard,so as to placethe tube in any desired plane'aboveor below the surface of thetable'. The tube-holder isl also supported byself-sustaining extensible con-v neet-ions between it and the universaljoint,

by which the holder may be adjusted to any' position transversely of thetable, irrespective of its other positions in relation thereto; these'connections being preferably arranged f so as to be contracted orshortened when the `holder is moved into the area ofthe table VSti andextended in length when the holderis -i moved vlin a directiontowithdraw it from such areav in relation to the `working side', v.

or that next to the operator.

'In the drawings-forming a part of this specication, Figure l-is a side'elevation of the apparatusshowing the segmental Arack i l upon which thetable'swin s, the gear by i which it is operated and the bracket.' iidX-i'ay tube attached thereto shown i-n two positions thereon, one belowand one above the table; Fig. 2, is a'plan view of the table, showingthe plate-holder, or cassette, andthe lead protective plates, also theself-,sustaining extensible connections between the bracket and X-raytube-holder; Fig. 3, is a vertical longitudinal section of the table online 3 3, Fig. 2; ,Figa fl, is an end eleva-tion of the table, showingthe worm-gear and connections' by which the table is operated, and thehandles by which' the cassette and protective vplates* are ricoveri;Fig. 5, is a transverse.

vertical section offthe table, through thev protective plates when,a,pos1tion which loo@ ` which supports the socket for the bar on theyoverlap; Fig. 6, is an end elevation of a .foot-resty'viewed' ,from theupper side of Fig. 2, or i,irthe -direction indicated by the arrow; 7,is a detail plan view of ayr telescoping modification of the extensibleselfsustainin support for the tube-holder and also for t e handle shownjointed in Fig. 2; Fig. 8, is a side elevation 'of the carriage whichthe tube-holder is sustained and adjusted, viewedas from the inside, orfrom the top of Fig. 2, showing friction springs which bear upon thecarriage supports and retard the movement of the carriage on its tracks,and Fig. 9 is a plan View of the saine parts.

Referring to the drawings and indicating l the several parts byreference characters: S, is the segmental portion of the frame ofthetable, T; onthe inner edge of the segment "S, is a rack 2, with whichengages a pinion 3, on a shaft 4, which has a bearing at either end instandards f, secured to the stand F. Upon this shaft 4, a beveled gear5, is keyed, vwith which meshes another beveled gear 6, upon a shortupright shaft 7, supported in a yoke bearing 8; on the upper end of theshaft 7 a wormv gear 9, is keyed and this is engaged by a worm 10, onthe shaft 11, which also has bearings in the standards f, and upon theend of the shaft 11, a crank 12, is secured, by which the worm isoperated and through it the worm gear 9, the lgears p6 and 5, the shaft4 and pinion 3, which latter, engaging the rack 2 on the segment S,causes that to swing in the arc of a circle. The segment is supportedand guided by rolls 13, at either side of the stand F, the inner ones ofwhich may be toothed pinions, as 13, lto engage the rack 2, the teeth ofwhich may be extended throughout the length of the segment S, so that,if desired the foot end of the table may be raised. The table, orpatient supporting surface T, is supported'on the segment S, bystandards 14. lThe table is open throughout-its entire length, so that afield of observation, or for operation, may be obtained at anyv partthereof and withoutmoving the patient longitudinally thereon. This isaccomplished..

by providing guides throughout the length of the inner edges of theframe of the table,

for the plate-holder, or cassette, as it is termed in this art, and forthe protective plates P', P2. The several guides being in differenthorizontal planes, so that the cassette and the several plates may bemoved into any position relative to each other and Vto the length of thetable, by which a field may be obtained at any part thereof.v Themovement of these parts is accomplished by handles c, p2, p1,respectively attached thereto, (Fig. 4). Over the top of the table, theusual covering plate 15, of Celluloid,- or other suitable material, maybe secured by strips of thin metal bent over the edge of the coveringlate and the edge of the table, as at 15a, Fig. 3). Extending betweenthe standards 14, upon one side of the table, preferably that oppositeto the crank v12, or what may be called the Working side ofthe table,two rods 16, are secured by brackets 17, which rods serve as tracks forthe Wheels 21, of a small carriage 22, carrying a socket 23, in which abar 24, is supported and secured in any desired position verticallytherein, by a set-screw'25; also, uponthe bar 24, is another socket 26,secured in posi- -tion'as desired, by a set screw 27.` The socket 26, isprovided with a plate 28, the surface of which is parallel with thelength of the ybar 24; another plate 29, is held against the plate 28,by a screw 30, by which the two are frictionally' held together and theplate 29 may be turned upon 28 with little eiort. Projecting out ataright angle from the plate 29, is an ear 31, with a bear-- ing -face atright angles to the bearing faces of 28 and 29. Against the bearing faceof the ear 31, the face of an ear 32, is friction-` ally held by athumbnut 33jworking upon a screw threaded stud projecting from the ear31. From the ear 32, a yoke-piece 34 projects, the plane of its' surfacebeing at right angles to the plane of the bearing surfaces of the ears31 and 32. To either arm of this yoke-piece is pivoted one end of a linkof a series of lazytongs levers 35, and to the opposite end of thelazy-tongs a yoke 34, similar to 34, is pivoted, and also a series offriction joints like` 31-32 and 28-29, are employed and secured to aring, or support 36 for .the X-ray tube-holder and leadglass bell 37,for protecting the tube. An exten- .sible handle 38, shown in Fig. 2with jointed sections, which may have the usual spring washers at. thejoints, or telescoping sections, may be used, similar to those shown inFig. 7 to enable the operator to control the X-ray tubev when it ispushed in over, or beneath the area of the table, which operation willclose up the lazy-tongs and place the tube remote from the operator.

As shown in Fig. 1, the tube-holder with the tube, may be adjusted toany position upon the bar 24. In full lines they are in -a plane belowthe surface of the table and v4.0, are-attached to the inner face of theframe of the earriage 22, by mea-ns of projecting studs 41, in suchposition that the curved ends 42, of the springs will bear upon therails 16, and hold the carriage and its attachments against anyunintentional movement. At the left end of the table (Fig. 1) afoot-rest 4-3, is shown; this is held upon the table by means of hookedclamps 44C, at

placed in the so-called Trendelenburg posiplates. In Fig. 2, projections50, extending tion, thatvis, with the feet raised and the upper part ofthe body depressed. In Fig. 3,- the cassette frame C, is shown in amiddle position in the table', but it Will be understood that it lmay bemoved to any other position, that is, to either end, and the projectingplates P', P2, -be adjusted so as to bring the ield of observationoutside of the from the inside of the cassette frame support the platesand they are held in place by buttons 5l, in the usual manner.'

I claim: I

l. In X-ray apparatus,a table normally balanced in all positionshavingits patientsupporting surface substantially below its center of motion,which is located midway of the length of the table and means to give thetable a swinging andlongitudinal movement 'from a horizontal to aperpendicular position.

2. In X-ray apparatus, a swinging table support for the patient, anX-ray tubeholder attached to and carried by said table and adapted 'tobe adjusted into desired planes, either above or below its patientsupporting surface and longitudinally thereof, and a universallyadjustable -connection between the tube-holder and its attachment to thetable,

8. In X-ray apparatus, a swinging table support 'for the patient, meansto gradually adjust such table to any angle between a `horizontal and aperpendicular position, an X-ray tubeholder attached to and carried bysaid table, universally adjustable connections between said holder andtable, which connections are adapted to be reduced in length when thesaid lholder is moved into the'area oi the table from the operatin sideand increased in length when the hol er is moved toward said operatingside and out of said area from said side. v

4. In X-rayapparatus, a table support for Ithe patient, means togradually adjust the table to any desired angle between a horizontal anda perpendicular position, an X-ray tube-holder provided with aself-sustaining extensible support, by which the holder may be adjustedacross the area. of the table above and below its surface as desired andthe obstructing parts of the support removed froin such area when theholder is withdrawn. i f

5. In X-ray apparatus having self-sustaining extensible means to supportthe tube- 'holderand adjust'it over the surface of the table, and anextensible handle attached to said holderto facilitate its manipulationwithin the area of the table at -points re, l

mote from the operator.

6. In Xray apparatus, a table to support the patient and having an opentop extending throughoutl its entire supporting surface, protectiveplates supported therein and adapted to be shifted to any position inrelan tion to the length of the table and in relation to each other,whereby a field of observation may be obtained at an desired 1ocation onthe table without movlng the patient thereon.

7. In X-ray apparatus, a table supported upon a frame having bearingsurfaces formed inthe arcfof a circle whose center is substantiallyoutside of the upper surface of the table, a stand beneath said framehavf ing an open unobstructed space between the vertical position whichthe table may assume and the front or operating end thereof, an-

tifriction bearings .between 'the frame and the stand,- and a worm andgear near one end of the sta-nd which engages arack upon the frame, andlby the operation thereof gives the .frame an eveil swinging andlongitudinal motion upon said bearings and adjusts the upper surface ofthe table to any desired-an- -gle between a horizontal and a verticalplane.

8. In X-ray apparatus, a support for the X-ray tube-holder, consistingof a carriage provided with means to receive and ciam) the supportthereon a pair of tracks exte inglengthwise of the table frame andsecured thereto, bearings upon the carriage which engage said tracks,and automatic brakes upon the carriage which .produce friction uponthe'tracks and prevent unintentional movement 4of the carriage thereon.

JOHN D fsrreoKItEn.-

